The “Biosphäre Bliesgau” biosphere reserve features a high degree of spatial and historic complexity within a relatively small area (approx. 36,152 ha), simultaneously in abiotic, biotic and social respects. This degree of social complexity arose from the historic development from initially close and increasingly loosening ties to nature. The less fertile forested Buntsandstein areas in the North are contrasted with more fertile, largelyextensively farmed Muschelkalk areas in the South. Moreover, they exhibit an extremely large variety of soils and microclimates. Correspondingly, the South is characterized by a partially preserved rural way of life and by its relatively sparse population. In contrast, the northern portion of the biosphere reserve isdensely populated and characterized by urbanization. A broad suburban transition area is located in between these zones.Due to its industrial and service sectors, the North constitutes the economic center of the region. Economically, the South is highly dependent on the North. The region is oriented toward intermediate-order and high-order central places, some of which are located within the biosphere reserve and others outside ofit. This results in interferences between humans, society and the environment that are clearly reflected in the landscape. This diversity of landscapes and habitats results in high species and habitat diversity of national significance.The entry of the entire medium-sized town of St. Ingbert into the biosphere reserve presents a diversity of additional options. They range from added value and valorization of regional products at a medium-sized regional center with the appropriate infrastructure and purchasing power to the exemplary sustainabledevelopment of old heavy industry sites.Especially due to its close proximity of rural, suburban and urban areas, its high population density (an average of 337 km2 and approx. 111,000 inhabitants in the planned area) and the resulting high degree ofcomplexity, the biosphere reserve offers a good basis for the development and testing of potential sustainable solutions

Analysis of existing research about the Bliesgau region; Examination of the initial situation in terms of natural and social sciences; Ecological change in the urban, zwischenstadt and rural areas in the context of global climate change; Options of and social and ecological limits to the production and use of renewable energies; The development of environments in the context of social change (especially of structural anddemographic change); Research of nutrient cycles and geoecology